Rutherglen Glencairn striker Dennis McLaughlin is well aware what is meant by the old adage that there's no gain without the pain.

The one-time Hearts signing is back spearheading the Glens forward line and determined to make up for lost time following two years on the sidelines as a result of a knee injury.

Fairly unique surgery was required to repair the damage as Dennis underwent an operation to replace the cruciate ligament with part of a hamstring.

But the knock-on effect is not a day passes without the need for stretching exercises to ease tightness in his leg muscles and joints.

The 28-year old admits he is finding the onset of midweek fixtures is leaving him in constant discomfort, but he is happy to put the team first as Willie Harvey's men chase their dream of promotion into the Super Premier Division.

Proof of that lies in his recent hot scoring streak of seven goals in seven games - including a double in last Wednesday night's exciting 3-3 drawn affair with promotion rivals Rob Roy.

The Irish-born player said: "It's great to be back playing again after so long out, but doctors say it could take up to a year to get the strength into my leg muscles again.

" I'm resigned to feeling tired during games - I was substituted last Wednesday night - and afterwards the tightness in my legs can be painful.

"However, that's part and parcel of coming back from a long-term injury, but it will be all the more worthwhile if I can play a part in helping Glencairn step up. Right now, it's looking like Pollok are home and dry, leaving as many as six clubs fighting it out for the one remaining automatic spot, however let's not forget the play-off double-header is another means to an end.

"If that was our fate when the dust settles, then there's every likelihood of our season extending into June, but you won't find me complaining despite all my aches and pains."

McLaughlin's return to the Glens forward line has seen him paired alongside former Under-21s scoring sensation Ross McNeil, whose 101 strikes in 2012/13 season earned a move to Stenhousemuir and then Albion Rovers before gaffer Harvey brought him back to New Southcroft Park this season.

"Ross is a good young player with an eye for goal and he has everything in his locker to make an even bigger impression once he fully acclimatises to the Junior game," added Dennis.

"Hopefully I can take the weight off him and we can develop a partnership though scoring goals is not really proving to be too much of a problem given the Glens have only drawn a blank in one game since the turn of the year.

"That said, we also tend to be tight as a drum defensively, which is why our shoddy display in conceding three goals in the opening half hour against Rob Roy caused Willie to go near apoplectic at the break.

"The guys were more like themselves afterwards, which is no mean feat as Rob Roy are undoubtedly one of the best sides I've seen this season.

"But in this league, every team is capable of beating each other and there are all sorts of twists still to come, so I wouldn't bet against us finishing above them in the final reckoning."

Glencairn take to the road to face Maybole today and all the leading contenders are similarly in action with the most intriguing clash going ahead at Duncansfield, where fourth-in-the-table Kilsyth Rangers await table-topping Pollok in a must-win game for Keith Hogg's men.

And there's no shortage of crunch games in the Central First Division where arguably game of the day is the Lochburn Park head-to-head of in-form duo Maryhill (unbeaten in five games) and Dunipace (unbeaten in six).

Sharp-eyed Junior fans will doubtless have noticed the scheduled Central Second Division meeting of Royal Albert and promotion challenging St Rochs has been removed from today's fixture card.

This turn of events prompted a "Why" question to Candy Rock team boss Andy Cameron, who revealed: "It's true our game is cancelled and I believe the reason is down to the West Region fixture secretary looking to move our final league game to the same day as the Keanie Park head-to-head between our step-up rivals Johnstone Burgh and Glasgow Perthshire.

"The guys in authority are sometimes maligned by rank and file club supporters, however nobody can deny this decision is in the best interest of fairness to all three promotion challengers."